We have seen that Jesus made use of an interruption in His preaching (See Luke 12:13

KJV ¹³ And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. WEB ¹³ One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
); now He makes use of something that had recently happened among the events taking place in Judea. Jesus speaks about things that are of interest to people.

The Roman governor, Pilate, had killed some men while they were sacrificing at the temple. This was typical of Pilate. We know of various times when Pilate killed opponents or trouble-makers. On one occasion he killed three thousand! I suppose there was some kind of rioting in the temple; Pilate sent in his soldiers and a number of people were killed.

Then there was another tragedy. A building in Siloam had collapsed, killing eighteen people. Everyone was talking about these events and Jesus referred to them in His teaching.

1. Suffering is not a sign of special wickedness.

When tragedies of this kind happen, people tend to think that the suffering person was a great sinner and had deserved special punishment. This was the view of Job’s friends“1 (compare John 9:1-2

KJV ¹ And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. ² And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? WEB ¹ As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
). But suffering is not a sign of special wickedness! There are plenty of suffering people who have not specially sinned. And there are plenty of wicked people who are not specially suffering!

2. People like to interpret what is happening in the lives of others, but not in their own lives.

It is obvious that these events were much discussed in Judea. Everyone was debating the details of how these people in Jerusalem and at Siloam were killed. Why did it happen? Was it because they had specially sinned? Hundreds of people were interested in knowing what had happened and why it had happened. Yet the very people who like to interpret what is happening in other people’s tragedies do not do much thinking about what is likely to happen to them! What might God do to them? What sudden calamity could fall upon them? Are they living in such a way that they have an unblemished record and can feel confident that no disaster will fall upon them? People like to think that others are being punished for their sins, but they also like to think that their own sins will somehow go unpunished!

Don’t make the suffering of the other person even worse by your 'interpreting' his tragedy in this way. Don’t say to him or to his family, ‘If you were more righteous you would not be suffering...’. Don't be a ‘Job’s comforter’. When you think a person is suffering because of his sins, you are adding to his sufferings - or to the sufferings of those who are bereaved.

3. God is totally free in the way in which He brings life to an end.

These people in Jerusalem and at Siloam were suddenly removed from this life. Others were allowed to live much longer. Sudden disaster is not punishment of those who have died; it is a warning to those who are alive. Unless you repent, you will perish. The word ‘perish’ here means 'die suddenly while unreconciled to God’. One day we will die - maybe suddenly, maybe not so suddenly. But unless we have repented of our sins, our death will be ‘perishing’. It will be dying without being reconciled to God - and therefore facing God’s anger against sin.

4. Every sudden event is a call to repentance - and especially repentance for our unfruitfulness.

The people gossiping about the recent events need themselves to repent - to entirely change their attitude and outlook towards God and towards the godly life. God especially wants fruitfulness. Jesus tells a parable (See Luke 13:6-9

KJV ⁶ He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. ⁷ Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? ⁸ And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: ⁹ And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. WEB ⁶ He spoke this parable. “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none. ⁷ He said to the vine dresser, ‘Behold, these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and found none. Cut it down. Why does it waste the soil? ’ ⁸ He answered, ‘Lord, leave it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. ⁹ If it bears fruit, fine; but if not, after that, you can cut it down.’”
) which is connected to the previous story. A vineyard owner looks for fruitfulness from his vineyard. If it is not fruitful he will re-use the ground for something else. But the vineyard-keeper pleads that the fig-tree be left one more year before it is cut down.

This is a parable about what God is looking for. Jesus is travelling to Jerusalem. What will He find when He gets there? God wants fruitfulness. The people of Jerusalem have been allowed longer to live! Most of them have not been killed by Pilate. No tower of Siloam has fallen on them. God has given them more time to repent.
We remember that less than forty years after Jesus’ ministry, the Roman armies would march upon Jerusalem, besiege it and then destroy it. Jerusalem was given time to repent, but then sudden calamity would come upon the entire city and nation.

The greater the privileges, the greater the response God wants. We are very happy to discuss the tragedies of others’ lives and wonder why events have overtaken them. But we too will sooner or later find that events will overtake us. We are always taken by surprise at the big events that happen in our lives.

Has someone you know suddenly been called away from this life? He or she has had to give an account to God of how he or she has lived. It is appointed for people once to die - and afterwards comes the judgement“1. What happened to them is a call to you to be ready at all times to give an account of your life to God.

Are you suffering? It does not mean that God is specially punishing you. He is not taking His revenge against you. God punished sin upon the cross! Jesus has already been punished for your sins! What God wants from you more than anything is fruitfulness. He wants some kind of reward for the time and trouble He has invested in you. He is still allowing you to live; He hopes you will become fruitful. Meanwhile God is being greatly merciful to you; He is allowing you longer to live.